I'm really in a jam on this one. I'm trying to decide if updrading my ancient Athearn SD40-2 with a new motor is worth it or if I should scrap it and buy a brand new locomotive. This 40-2 is my personal favorite and I would hate to see it be junked after so many years of faithful service.
Crap happens. When it does, stop, take a deep breath, and call the wreck train.
Oh shucks, and here I was going to recommend numbering a triceratops and adding it to the fleet....
The SD40-2 was Athearn's first "new" locomotive that actually had scale width hoods. A major step forward at the time. I would think re-motoring it would be worth it. I've seen motors that should work go in the range of $12-$30 on eBay.
I say keep your Athearn dino and replace the motor. If you get a "new" RTR SD40-2, chances are you would want to replace the motor in it with a KATO anyway.
I run strictly a DC layout,with engines with sound and also have,BB six SD40-2's,they play so well together,I wouldn't trade them for the world..
Cheers,
Frank
B30-7CR
My own thoughts on this one are if it is an old favourite that has served you well.
Then it is worth chasing down what ever parts that are needed to repair it.
and if necessary modernise it so it can serve you for many more years to come.
some times cost of repair is more than replacement but for sentimental favourites cost can sometimes be ignored if you do decide to scrap it then find a scenic use for it that befits it's status as a favourite
regards John
Hi,
What is the problem with it? When did you buy it - or what is the build date of the model?
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
I remotor with NWSL or Kato motors. The Kato uses the hex drive system as do the new genesis athearn units. So you'll have to change the cup on the worm gear shaft.
Richard
Thank you all for the replies. Specifc shout to mobilman44, its a BB SD40-2. I got it from a buddy since he had no use for it. It had been stored in a damp crawlspace for who-knows-how-long, and received a thorough cleaning before seeing service. The problem is the motor will barely move the locomotive in a single unit, and will not even budge with a train behind it. I'm probably going to see if I can find a new motor on eBay or something. It may be old and not pretty, but that's the best thing about this unit-it's prototypically battered.
I returned to the hobby 8 years ago, with a few boxes of trains from my teenage years. They had been stored in various attics and basements for 40 years. Like you, I had old friends among those locomotives and cars.
I wasn't able to restore any of the old engines to run well enough to keep on my layout, although I didn't go so far as to replace the motors, gears or trucks. What I did do for a few of them, though, was convert them to dummy engines by removing the motors and gears. I run DCC, so I gave a couple of them sound-only decoders, and one even has lights. I now run them in consists as "honorary" engines, letting me enjoy these "old friends" from my youth, even as I approach retirement myself.
So, even if you're not able to get this one running, don't give up on it.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
It might be worth the effort,,,take the shell off,disconnect the drive-line from the motor and try to run it that way for awhile,forward and reverse,,,,could be the gears all full of dried up grease..
There is lots of lore on souping up Athearn blue box locomotives posted on the Web, and even in this forum. Google for Athearn diesel tuneup. If you go thru the tuneup procedures it will likely bring your SD40 back to life. Basically we are talking about total disassembly, cleaning all the old lube out of the gear towers and the trucks, and running in the gears with a mild abrasive (Pearl Drops tooth powder). I do everything except the Pearl Drops treatment. For my BB Athearns wiping each tooth of each gear with a pipecleaner to get the tiny, almost invisible bits of flash out of the gears was enough. Hardwiring the power strips on the trucks to the motor top strap will give reliable electrical contact. On road switchers like the SD40, you can put a ceiling in the cab and put the headlamp above the ceiling so it lights the headlamp lens and number boards without shining out the cab windows. In fact there is enough room up there for a constant brightness circuit. Put a second bulb in the long hood to light that headlamp.
There is a good chance a tuneup will fix what ails it, more so than a motor swap.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
I think you are on the right track to try re-motoring and maybe a re-lube as well. If you have shopped for a replacement SD 40-2 recently and roadname and/or paint scheme are important, you will know that it may be difficult to find a product that is a direct replacement. To find the paint scheme I desired, I recently purchased a Bachmann DC ready SD 40-2, which I will super-detail and add a Tsunami and speaker to. I hope you get it running and post the results.
Wilton.
With all the trouble I've had with the newer Athearn RTR locos (so much so that I stopped buying them) I would opt for remotoring the old loco. The dozen locos on my layout right now are all rebuilds with new motors.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
I agree with dstarr. Before you spend money on new motors and the time to get them set up, give the driveline a major cleaning and tuneup. At Boothbay Railway Village where I voluenteer, we get a lot of old locos donated. Many of them start out as total basket cases as far as running. It is amazing sometimes what some cleaning, re-lube and other maintenance can do for better running.
One thing I always do on my Athearn BB is get rid of that clip on top of the motor and solder a wire between the L-shaped piece of metal on the gear towers directly to the copper strip on top of the motor - be careful to use minimum heat on the soldering iron.
Your comment on prior storage in a damp location makes me wonder about corrosion on the metal contact surfaces between the wheels and motor. When you take the gear tower out, take a look at these areas. Corrosion is an insulator.
Clean the wheels. The BB locos had sintered metal wheels that pick up gunk like a magnet. Put a piece of paper towel on the tracks, soak in 70% rubbing alcohol, and run on truck onto the towel. Hold tightly, give it max power, and spin the wheels on the towel. Move back and forth a bit and watch the black gunk come off. If you want to spend some money, NWSL has chrome plated brass wheels that are direct replacements for the Athearn ones
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
Clean clean clean!!!
I have a bunch of BB's. If I notice one slowing down, it goes in for an maintenance overhaul.
I have an older AHM 4-4-0 steamer that was my Dad's, ran ok if I cranked up the power & gave it a shove to get it going.
I spent over an hour cleaning the 40+ years of gunk off the wheels, & the thing ran on the track, powered by my MRC power pack at crawling speeds.
My new thing to do is to use a delrin safe synthetic lube for the gears in the trucks. Used it on 2 so far with good results. Spent a bit of time removing the white grease I had been using from all of the gears to do this but it has been worth it.
If you're not sure of the motor, take the truck off the frame & power up the motor. If it spins fine, it's not the motor!
Gordon
Brought to you by the letters C.P.R. as well as D&H!
K1a - all the way
Thanks to those that replied again. Unfortunately, I just finished going over the ENTIRE gear assembly, cam shafts, wheels, etc, with one conclusion: the motor is toast. I took my SDP40 (also a BB, same dual flywheel), took the motor out, put that one in the Dash 2, and checked it out. Sure enough, the unit ran like new. The wheels were freshly cleaned and lubed up, the L-contacts were polished up, and I took the power-hungry bulb out of the loop. Still, the motor wouldn't go. I'd get short bursts, but it'd always stall out. The track was brand new too, so I know thats not bad. I have an MRC Tech 4 dual cab powerplant, and I just replaced all the contact wiring, so that can't be the problem. I'm going to go to the local model railroad authority tomorrow and have him test it on the shop layout. If it still dies there, I know to get a new motor and retire the old one, military style.
Here's a link to a how to on replacing an Athearn motor with a Sagami:
http://www.trainlife.com/magazines/pages/20/1464/august-1990-page-32
The simplest solution is to get an Athearn motor or a Helix Humper drop in replacement motor.
http://www.alliancelocomotiveproducts.com/
I like the HelixHumper motors. Very easy to install and they run really really well.
-CP
Train Modeler I remotor with NWSL or Kato motors. The Kato uses the hex drive system as do the new genesis athearn units. So you'll have to change the cup on the worm gear shaft. Richard
Can you use the newer Genesis / Athearn worm gear assembly? It seems to be a better design, using a nylon worm gear rather than metal. it is also already a hex drive shaft. Are the Kato motors a drop in replacement for the SD40 motors? Thanks.
Len S
Thanks everyone. I took the entire motor apart, cleaned it out, de-gunked the contacts, and set her off. Worked like charm, just figured out I had to clean the track. Other than that, it works great!
B30-7CR I'm really in a jam on this one. I'm trying to decide if updrading my ancient Athearn SD40-2 with a new motor is worth it or if I should scrap it and buy a brand new locomotive. This 40-2 is my personal favorite and I would hate to see it be junked after so many years of faithful service.
THAT is NOT a Dinosaur! Atheran Dinosaurs had RUBBER BAND DRIVES!
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
HH motors and NWSL wheels. BIG IMPROVEMENT ON THE BB LOCOS. Constant lighting also easy.